Nothing beats a radiant smile. Humans are naturally attracted to people who have a beautiful smile and smile a lot. Such people come off as energetic, happy, approachable, and friendly. They often have clear white teeth that are always pleasant to look at.
It is sad to know, however, that not everyone can smile freely or frequently. Dirty, discolored dentition is the common reason a lot of people would rather keep their mouths closed and their smiles to themselves.
Yellow teeth not only make one less attractive, but it also makes one timid, especially in public places. The dangers of being less confident about oneself are numerous.
If your dentition is responsible for your low self-esteem, you’re in luck because there are several ways you can achieve pearly whites without having to break the bank. All you need is a good home teeth whitening kit and you’re on your way to having a beautiful and brighter smile. We will discuss later how to use a home tooth whitening kit.
Is Having a Sparkling Dentition Really That Important?
Yes! It is extremely important for everyone, but much more for people with discolored set of teeth. The benefits of teeth whitening are not only centered on aesthetics and looking more approachable, but there are also actually a couple of health benefits to having your dentition (NOTE – denture is different from denture; look it up) cleaned up.
- When you whiten your teeth, plaque and tartar that collect on them are taken out giving you cleaner and healthier teeth.
- It is a known fact that people who whiten their teeth generally have good oral hygiene. Such people floss and wash their mouths regularly. The combination of these activities keeps the mouth cleaner and healthier which reduces the chances of oral diseases and infections.
- The most obvious reason why we try to get whiter teeth as have been mentioned earlier, is still to look more attractive. People just cannot get enough of looking at a sparkly clean set of dentitions.
- Very often, the first step for people who struggle to quit smoking is teeth whitening. It is done as a sort of motivation. The idea behind this is that they’ll try harder to quit so as not to stain their pearly whites again.
- Having a cleaner dentition makes people look younger. This is because brighter smiles are usually associated with youth.
Getting a Good Home Tooth Whitening Kit
There are certain things to know about getting a whitening kit. Some of them are:
- About Hydrogen peroxide. This is the most important ingredient in any teeth whitening product. Check products and be sure they contain this compound. Click here to learn more about the cleaning effects of hydrogen peroxide.
- Choose kits with products that have safe bleach concentration. It is recommended that the bleach concentration in such products should not exceed 10%.
- First, the company from which you buy the kit will take impressions of both your lower and upper teeth. Once this is done, they are sent to their lab where the dental trays will be made using the impressions taken.
- Once your dental trays are ready, an appointment would be scheduled. Then you’d be taught how to properly use the tray with the whitening gel. Further instructions would also be given on how to get the best result.
- Make sure tray strips fit properly on each tooth to avoid gum irritation.
Who Should Not Use a Home Tooth Whitening Kit?
- People who are allergic to hydrogen peroxide should not use these kits because most of them contain hydrogen peroxide products.
- People with braces because the whitening gel will only work on the areas of tooth it touches.
- People with any form of dental restoration because materials used in making these restorations do not whiten.
- People taking prescription drugs.
Steps in Whitening Your Teeth
Step 1
Before beginning the procedure, it is important that you brush and floss your teeth properly to get rid of any food remains.
Step 2
Apply the cleaning gel on the tray before wearing it. The tray is worn for at least an hour before it is taken off. This procedure often lasts for up to two weeks. Do not eat, drink, or smoke while this is going on and 30 minutes after it is taken off.
Step 3
At the expiration of two weeks, the company will schedule a follow-up appointment to access the changes. The current look of your teeth will be compared to the photo of the one taken when you ordered the kit.
Step 4
If both you and the company are satisfied with the results, instructions would be given to you on how to maintain your new sparkly dentition.
Whitening Your Teeth Naturally
There are natural methods to getting clear white dentition. They are mostly employed by people who do not fancy spending extra money to get a whitening kit. Although the results do not compare to that of an actual cleaning kit, they are still considered fair. Visit https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/ss/slideshow-natural-teeth-whitening to find out more natural ways of whitening teeth.
The Oil Pulling Method
This method involves swishing oil around in your mouth vigorously for a few minutes to get rid of bacteria that turn into plaque. Coconut, olive, and sesame oils are very popular in this practice, with coconut oil being the most preferred.
It is worthy of note that there is no scientific backing to this method. However, most people say that their teeth became brighter after doing it.
The Baking Soda Method
Baking soda can be used as a mild abrasive for removing stains. Using a toothbrush, a baking soda paste can be used to brush the teeth to get rid of surface stains. This method, however, may take longer than others.
Conclusion
There are side effects that often come with teeth whitening. One or more teeth may become very sensitive to cold or hot food. While this feeling isn’t particularly painful, it might sting a bit. It is temporary and typically disappears within a few days. Other side effects are gum irritation and in rare cases, tooth damage.
